Sucker rod guide

ABSTRACT

A sucker rod guide having a resilient body and a spring clip embedded in the body for exerting a clamping force on the sucker rod on which the guide is mounted.

United States Patent Sable [4 1 Mar. 21, 1972 [s41 SUCKER ROD GUIDE 2,604,364 7/1952 Ward ..308/4 A [72] Inventor: Donald Sable, 4413 Windsor PL, 3,001,834 9/1961 Bowerman ..308/4A Tex. Ward 2] Filed: y 1970 Primary Examiner-James A. Leppink [21] App]. 54 7 Attorney-Wa1ter J. Jagmin [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S.Cl. ..308/4 A, 166/176, 166/241 [51] Int. Cl. ..F16c 29/00 A Sucker rod g i having a resilient body and a spring cli [58] Field of Search ..166/173, 176,241; 308/4 A embedded n the y f x r ing a mping f r e on the sucker rod on which the guide is mounted. [56] References Cited 4 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,186,773 6/1965 Harris et a1. ..308/4 A Patented March 21, 1972 INVENTOR. Donald E. Sable WXW ATTORNEY SUCKER ROD GUIDE This invention relates to well tools and more particularly to guides for rods employed to actuate a pump connected in the tubing or casing ofa well, drilling pipe, and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a guide which is easily and quickly mountable on a sucker rod.

Another object is to provide a guide having a substantially cylindrical resilient body provided with a longitudinal central bore and an outwardly opening mounting opening, the opening including a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal outwardly opening slots in opposite directions at opposite ends of the guide and connected at their adjacent inner ends by a transverse slot whereby the guide is easily mountable on a sucker rod by positioning the guide on the rod with the rod extending through the transverse slot and aligned with the inner ends of the longitudinal portions and then pivoting the guide about an axis perpendicular to the axes of the rod and of the bore of the guide to cause the longitudinal slots to receive the rod.

Another object is to provide a guide having a unitary reinforcing clip embedded in the resilient body and having a longitudinal central passage and a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal opening connected by a transverse opening aligned with the longitudinal and transverse slots of the body,-

defined by pairs of spaced longitudinal outwardly divergent flanges, the clip having opposed cam surfaces parallel with opposed surfaces of the resilient body defining the transverse body slot for the movement of the guide on the rod.

Still another object is to provide a rod guide of the type described wherein the opposite longitudinal clip flanges extend substantially the full height of the transverse opening of the clip to rigidify and strengthen the intermediate portion of the clip at the location of the transverse opening.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the rod guide embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical partly sectional view showing the rod guide mounted on a sucker rod disposed in a well tubing;

I FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional line taken on line 4-4 ofFlG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the spring clip illustrating its location in the resilient body;

FIG. 6 is a vertical view of the clip looking into the bottom longitudinal opening thereof;

FIG. 7 is another vertical view of the spring clip;

FIG. 8 is a view looking into the top longitudinal opening of the spring clip;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a view taken on line 10 10 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 11 is a view showing the manner in which the guide is mounted on a rod.

' Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 through 6 of the drawings, the guide embodying the invention is mountable on a sucker rod R which is reciprocably movable in a well flow connector T, such as a string of tubing, to actuate a pump which moves well fluid through the flow conductor to the surface. The guide comprises a tubular body 21 of a somewhat resilient substance, such as rubber, nylon and the like, and has a central longitudinal bore 22 of a diameter equal to or slightly smaller than the diameter of the sucker rod R and a mounting opening 23 which opens laterally outwardly from the central bore to permit'mounting ofthe body on the rod. The mounting opening includes a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal upper and lower slots 24 and 25 whose outer ends open to oppositeends of the transverse slot 26 of the mounting opening.

The top slot 24 is defined by a pair of vertical surfaces 27 and 28 which extend convergently inwardly from the cylindrical outer surface 29 of the body to the central bore 22. The width of the slot adjacent the cylindrical outer surface of the body is greater than the diameter of the rod while its width at the central bore is substantially smaller than the diameter of the rod.

The bottom slot 25 is similarly defined by inwardly convergent vertical surfaces 33 and 34. The upper and lower surfaces 37 and 38 defining the transverse portion 26 of the slot may extend parallel to one another or may diverge slightly outwardly as shown. It will be apparent that the lower end of the top slot 24 opens to the upper end of the inclined transverse I slot 26 and that the upper end of the bottom slot 25 opens to the lower end of the transverse slot.

The body has a bevelled upper surface 40 which slopes outwardly and downwardly from its horizontal top surface 41 to the upper end of its outer cylindrical surface 29. The body also has a lower bevelled surface 42 which slopes upwardly and outwardly from its bottom horizontal surface 43 to the lower end of its outer cylindrical surface 29.

The rod guide 20 includes a steel clip 45 embedded in the resilient body 21, the clip having a top portion 46 and a bottom portion 47. The top portion 46 is C-shaped in cross section and has a longitudinal opening 49 defined by the outwardly divergent vertical longitudinal flanges 51 and 52 which extend substantially parallel to the vertical surfaces 27 and 28,

respectively, defining the top slot 24 of the body. The flange 52 extends downwardly past the surface 37 at the upper end of the transverse slot 26 of the body.

The bottom cam surface 54 of the top portion 46 of the spring clip is located at substantially the surface 37, and extends parallel thereto, to a fillet 55 which is located at the bottom end of the top slot 24 of the body and at the upper end of the transverse slot 26 of the body.

Similarly, the bottom 'portion 47 of the spring clip 45 is C- shaped in cross section and has a longitudinal opening 57 defined by a pair of vertical outwardly divergent flanges 58 and 59 which extend parallel to the surfaces 33 and 34, respectively, of the body defining its bottom longitudinal slot 25.

The top edge surface 60 of the bottom portion 47 extends upwardly from the top outer edge of the flange 59 to the .fillet 55. The top cam surface 61 of the bottom clip portion 47 extends upwardly from the upper end outer edge of the flange 58 substantially atthe location of the bottom surface 38 of the body 21 and parallel thereto to a fillet 63 to which also extends the bottom surface 64 of the top portion which extends from the bottom outer edge of the flange 51 of the top clip section 46. The fillet 63 is located at the upper'end of the bottom slot 25.

The C-shaped portions 46 and 47 are provided with a plurality of apertures 66 and 67, respectively, to facilitate their manufacture. a

It will now be apparent that the cam surfaces 54 and 61 define a transverse opening of the clip between its longitudinal openings that has the same dimensions and location as the transverse slot 26 of the body 21 and that the bottom portion of the flange 51 extends downwardly past the upper edge of the top of the flange 59 of the bottom clip portion 47 so that the intermediate arcuate portion 68 of the clip is strengthened at one side by the flange 51 and at the other side by the flange 59.

The thickness of the portion of the resilient body between the inner surface devining its central bore 22 and the inner surface of the clip is very small or minimal, its thickness in FIG. 4 being exaggerated for clarity of illustration. If desired, the top and bottom portions 46 and. 47 may extend short distances upwardly and downwardly, respectively, of the top and bottom surfaces 41 and 43 of the body 21.

In use, the rod guide may be mounted on a sucker rod R by use of a pipe wrench or a special tool, such as the tool 70 illustrated in FIG. 11 which has a bottom end portion 71 adapted to engage the top surface of a platform 72 above the well, the sucker rod extending downwardly through a head 74 to which the upper end of the tubing T is connected. The head 74 has a suitable sealing means between the sucker rod R and the head and a conduit 75 which opens to the interior of the tubing below such seal means.

The tool 70 has a pair of arms 76 and 77 provided at their outer ends with arcuate extensions 78 and 79. The extension 78 is adapted to engage the rod guide at a location opposite the longitudinal slot 24 thereof and above the transverse slot 26 while the extension 79 is adapted to engage the body opposite the bottom slot 25 thereof and below the transverse slot 26.

In mounting the guide on the rod, the guide is first moved to a transverse or inclined position relative to the rod to position the transverse slot in alignment with the rod and is then moved toward the rod until the rod is received in the transverse slot and is in alignment with the inner bottom end of the top slot 24 and the inner top end of the bottom slot 25. The tool 70 is then positioned as illustrated in FIG. 24. The cam surfaces 54 and 61 of the clip and the surfaces 37 and 38, by engaging the rod, guide or cam the guide properly onto the rod.

I As the rod R is then moved downwardly into the tubing, the tool 70 slides to the left on the platform 72 and also pivots in a clockwise manner so that the forces exerted on the guide by the arcuate extensions 78 and 79 on the guide rotate it about an axis perpendicular to the axis of its longitudinal bore 22 and the longitudinal axis of the rod to cause the rod to be received in the top and bottom longitudinal slots 24 and 25. As the body is pivoted in this manner, the outwardly divergent pairs of surfaces 27-28 and 33-34 defining the top and bottom slots 24 and 25, respectively, of the guide engage the rod, since the diameter of the rod is greater than the width of the inner ends of the divergent surfaces, and the portions of the guide on opposite sides of the top and bottom slots deform resiliently outwardly against the resistance not only of the resilient body itself but of the top and bottom clip portions 46 and 47 since the pairs of flanges 51 and 52 and 58 and 59 must be forced apart to'permit the guide to move to the position illustrated in FIG. 2 on the rod wherein the rod extends through the bore 22 of the guide. As the rod moves into this position, the top and bottom clip portions 46 and 47 and the body move resiliently back to the positions illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. The top and bottom portions 46 and 47 of the clip now resiliently hold or clamp the guide to the rod and against movement thereon and comprises the relatively thin portion of the body 21 disposed inwardly thereof and defining the longitudinal bore 22 of the body.

It will be apparent that during the mounting of the rod guide on the rod, the intermediate portion 68 of the spring clip is subjected to stresses but due to the extension overlapping of the top and bottom portions of the flanges 51 and 48, the intermediate portion will not tend to deform or fail.

During the reciprocal movement of the sucker rod in the tubing T, the top or bottom surfaces such as on the outer portion of the conical surfaces 40 and 42 of the body 21 may engage internal obstructions of tubing so that movement of the rod guide with the rod will be resisted. Such engagement will also tend to cause the guide to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sucker rod. Any such pivotal movement is immediately resisted not only by the clamping force of the spring clip but also by the engagement ofthe inner edge of the cam surface 54 or 61 with the outer surface of the rod which also further increases the force with which the guide is held against longitudinal movement on the rod.

Any such engagement of either the top or bottom surfaces of the guide with an internal obstruction of the well tubing resisting either upward or downward movement respectively, of the rod guide in the tubing results in the imposition of forces tending to buckle or bend the body at the location at the intermediate portion 68 of the spring clip. Since this intermediate portion is extremely rigid and strong due to the provision of the overlapping portions of the flanges 51 and 58 of the spring clip, the guide and clip will not so buckle.

It will now be seen that a new and improved rod guide has been illustrated and having a body formed of a suitable somewhat resilient substance, such as nylon, rubber and the like which has bonded or molded therein a steel spring clip which is effective to clamp the body on a sucker rod against movement thereon.

It will further be seen that due to the inclination of the cam surfaces 54 and 61 of the clip top and bottom portions 46 and 47, respectively, at least a portion of the forces exerted on such surfaces due to the engagement of the guide body with downwardly or upwardly facing obstructions of the well tubing is transmitted substantially transversely or circumferentially relative to the intermediate section portion 68 of the spring clip in the direction in which the intermediate portion is of the greatest strength thus further minimizing the possibility that the body and the spring clip will bend or buckle at the intermediate portions 68 upon the engagement of the guide with such internal obstruction of the well tubing. For example, assuming that the guide engages a downwardly facing obstruction during upward movement of the sucker rod and the guide, at the location of the body opposite the slot 54 of the guide and the longitudinal opening 49 of the clip, the downward force exerted on the guide would tend to cause the lower portion of the body 21 and the bottom portion '47 of the spring clip to bend about a horizontal axis at approximately the location of the intermediate portions 68 of the clip relative to the clip top 46 and the upper portion of the body. The inner edges of the cam surfaces 61 and 54 will then of course tend to dig into or engage the outer surfaces of the sucker rod R and would resist such movement. Due to the inclinations of such edges substantial portions of the forces exerted on the cam surface edges would be directed circumferentially towardthe intermediate sections 68. If the guide engages a downwardly facing obstruction, driving upward movement of the rod and guide, at the location of the top slot 24 of the guide, the inner edges of the cam surfaces 54 and 61 will similarly tend to engage the exterior of the rod and portions of the forces resisting upward movement of the guide with the rod and tending to bend the upper portion of the guide about a horizontal axis relative to its lower portion will be transmitted substantially circumferentially to the intermediate portion 68. It will be apparent that a similar distribution of forces in the guide will occur upon engagement with upwardly facing internal obstruction in the tubing during downward movement of the rod and guide in the tubing.

It will further be seen that the mounting opening 23 of the guide, comprised of the top and bottom longitudinal slots 24 and 25 and the transverse slot 26, provides a passage or channel for the flow of well fluids past the guide during its reciprocatory movement with the sucker rod in the tubing.

It will seem that while the guide has been illustrated and described as used to protect and center a sucker rod used to operate a pump, it may be used for this purpose with other elongate members such as drill strings formed of pipe and the like used in drilling wells.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A guide for an elongate member comprising: a substantially cylindrical body having a longitudinal bore therethrough to receive the member, said body having a mounting opening therethrough communicating with said bore throughout its length, said mounting opening comprising top and bottom longitudinal slots spaced longitudinally of the body and opening from the bore to the exterior of said body in mutually opposite radial directions and a transverse slot inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the bore and joining inner ends of said longitudinal slots; and a resilient clip secured in said body, said clip having top and bottom clamp portions substantially C- shaped in cross section and having longitudinal openings of smaller width at their inner ends than the diameter of said member and being aligned with said top and bottom slots of said body and a transverse opening joining inner longitudinally spaced ends of said longitudinal openings and aligned with said transverse slot, said top and bottom portions having pairs of flanges has a lower end portion extending downwardly and overlapping longitudinally an upper end portion of one flange of the other of said pair of flanges.

3. The guide of claim 2, wherein said lower and upper end portions of said flanges are disposed at opposite ends of said transverse opening and said transverse slot.

4. The guide of claim 3, said body having top and bottom longitudinally spaced beveled surfaces extending outwardly from opposite ends of said body. 

1. A guide for an elongate member comprising: a substantially cylindrical body having a longitudinal bore therethrough to receive the member, said body having a mounting opening therethrough communicating with said bore throughout its length, said mounting opening comprising top and bottom longitudinal slots spaced longitudinally of the body and opening from the bore to the exterior of said body in mutually opposite radial directions and a transverse slot inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the bore and joining inner ends of said longitudinal slots; and a resilient clip secured in said body, said clip having top and bottom clamp portions substantially Cshaped in cross section and having longitudinal openings of smaller width at their inner ends than the diameter of said member and being aligned with said top and bottom slots of said body and a transverse opening joining inner longitudinally spaced ends of said longitudinal openings and aligned with said transverse slot, said top and bottom portions having pairs of outwardly divergent longitudinal flanges defining said longitudinal openings, said top and bottom portions of said clip having substantially parallel spaced bottom and top cam surfaces inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of said guide and disposed in substantially the planes of opposed surfaces of said body defining said transverse slot, said top and bottom clamp portions exerting inward clamping forces on a member on which the guide is mountable for holding the guide against movement thereon.
 2. The guide of claim 1, wherein one flange of one said pairs of flanges has a lower end portion extending downwardly and overlapping longitudinally an upper end portion of one flange of the other of said pair of flanges.
 3. The guide of claim 2, wherein said lower and upper end portions of said flanges are disposed at opposite ends of said transverse opening and said transverse slot.
 4. The guide of claim 3, said body having top and bottom longitudinally spaced beveled surfaces extending outwardly from opposite ends of said body. 